2018-19 ASSA Report Shows District Enrollment Concentrated in Early Grades- Exodus Begins in Middle School; 143 Out of Town "Choice" Students Keeping the High School Margainally Operational

Proposed Development Project- Hoboken NJ (Middle School included)

The following is the 2018-2019 "October 15" Report which reports on the enrollment of the Hoboken Public School District. A quick look at the left hand column clearly shows the very low enrollment starting in Grade 6. There appears to be a mass exodus from the traditional Hoboken Public Schools beginning in Middle School. This chart also clearly shows that there are 143 "choice" students in the district (concentrated primarily in Hoboken High School). Without the influx of choice students from out of town and out of the district, Hoboken High School's enrollment numbers would be around 300 students...in a building that was designed and created for 1501. 
Other Links on Enrollment: Link 1; Link 2; Link 3

 

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Hoboken High School Capacity 1501

In Memorium -Frances Duff (nee Fusco)

Frances Duff (nee Fusco), of Avon-by-the Sea, New Jersey and Key Largo, Florida, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, January 19, 2019 in the presence of her devoted husband, Ed. Born in Jersey City, Frances attended local public schools and graduated from Montclair State University. 
She enjoyed a long career as a teacher in the Hoboken public schools including many years at Hoboken High School. As an educator, her commitment to students was boundless. In addition to being a teacher, she served as a long-time coach of the Hoboken High School Majorette Corps. She was also the faculty advisor for various extra-curricular and social activities. Frances was revered by the many students she taught and coached. Her dedication ultimately led to her induction into the Hoboken High School Sports Hall of Fame. Upon retirement, Frances and Ed enjoyed an active lifestyle spending winters at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, and summers along the ocean in Avon-by-the Sea, New Jersey. 
In addition to Edward, Frances is survived by her adoring sister Joan M. Caruso, brothers-in-law Patsy Totaro, Thomas Duff and his wife Sara and an endeared sister-in-law Mary Pendrick. Also surviving is a host of cherished nieces and nephews, Nicholas Caruso, Jr. and his wife Karla, Maryanne Caruso, John and his wife Melissa, Patricia Brando and her husband Mario, Roseanne Totaro, Steven Duff and his wife, Wendy, Aaron and his wife Carolyn and Siobhan Duff. Frances was predeceased by her parents Rose (nee DeGise) and Frank Fusco, a loving sister Margaret Totaro, two endeared aunts, Carmela DeGise and Elizabeth Damato, brothers-in-law Nicholas J. Caruso, Sr., Gerard Pendrick and a sister-in-law Susan Duff. 
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to share in the celebration of the Eucharist at the funeral mass on Saturday, January 26, 2019. Everyone is asked to gather at St. Ann's RC Church, (7th & Jefferson Street) in Hoboken no later than 10:45 AM. The funeral mass will be offered by her nephew, Father Thomas Pendrick at 11AM. Entombment will follow at Holy Cross Chapel Mausoleum, North Arlington, New Jersey. There will be no visitation at the funeral home. 
Parking will be available on Madison Street, directly behind the church. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers to Saint Jude's Children's Research Hospital or to the charity of your choice. FAILLA FUNERAL HOME 533 WILLOW AVE HOBOKEN , NJ 07030 (201) 659-0082
Published in The Jersey Journal on Jan. 23, 2019

Remembering Martin Luther King Jr-- 2019

Read "Letter from a Birmingham Jail, 1963" in full on this Martin Luther King Day.

Hoboken Middle School Enrollment Dropping Despite Claims by Superintendent Johnson and Board Member Kluepfel that "enrollment continues to grow"

Hoboken Board of Education

According to an article by Marilyn Baer of the Hoboken Reporter (January 11, 2019) we read:

"In the past Johnson and Board of Education members have said they may need more seats for students in the coming years. “If enrollment continues to grow at the rate we’re seeing recently, we will surely face the need for additional space or buildings,” said then-school board president Thomas Kluepfel a year and a half ago at a school board meeting." -Hoboken Reporter (1/11/19)

It is a confusing and uncomfortable day when people who are given the public trust for making decisions about the education of a town's youth and to be an honest and truthful voice of data and information to a city's citizens do not meet even minimal expectations.

In a previous post I pointed out that district enrollment in Hoboken was not growing at all and in fact was flat at best over the past twelve years with a slight downward trend. Some readers pointed out that the quotes by Superintendent Johnson and Board member Kluepfel centered on middle school enrollment. 

A quick analysis of middle school enrollment in the Hoboken Public School District clearly shows a downward trend and declining enrollment. For the chart below we took data frn the New Jersey Department of Education from 2010-11 to 2017-18 (the most current data available) and we took 6th, 7th, and 8th grade enrollment. The chart below looks at each grade in isolation as well as a total middle school enrollment (TOT= 6th + 7th + 8th).

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Middle School enrollment in Hoboken is trending downward (declining) NOT increasing.

One is left to wonder what have former Hoboken Board President Kluepfel and other members of the Hoboken Board of Education along with Superintendent Christine Johnson choose to promote a false narrative of the "growing enrollment" in the Hoboken School District? 

Is it to offset the perception of the inadequate education students are receiving? 
Is it to try to justify the "need" for the funding for construction of a new school? 
Is it because there is a perception that people simply do not care? 

Whatever the reason--- the data over the past 8 years shows clearly that any claim of enrollment growth or the need for additional space due to enrollment growth in the middle school is without warrant and possibly a deliberate misstatement. 

Perhaps there is a good reason why a recent developer kickback was directed to a parent organization and not to the Hoboken Board of Education....

Superintendent Johnson and Board Member Kluepfel Misrepresent Hoboken District Enrollment to Argue for New Middle School Building

According to a community message from the Hoboken Mayor to the city council, he will not support a new project in the Southwest Redevelopment Area proposed by Academy Bus that would include a new middle school, and would require “major changes to the existing Southwest Redevelopment Plan.”

The proposal includes office space for Academy Bus, a new Hoboken Middle School, 439 residential units, and public open space.

Academy Bus is a wonderful and important corporate neighbor to the City of Hoboken and has been for many years. I have no position on the proposed plan nor am I especially in favor or against the Hoboken mayor's statement on the proposed project. My objection centers more on the the statements of Superintendent Johnson and Hoboken Board of Education President Thomas Kluepfel who have consistently delivered a message to the public that the enrollment in the Hoboken Public schools in increasing. Nothing can be further from the truth.

According to an article by Marilyn Baer of the Hoboken Reporter (January 11, 2019) we read:

"In the past Johnson and Board of Education members have said they may need more seats for students in the coming years. “If enrollment continues to grow at the rate we’re seeing recently, we will surely face the need for additional space or buildings,” said then-school board president Thomas Kluepfel a year and a half ago at a school board meeting." -Hoboken Reporter (1/11/19)

Dr. Christine Johnson

In an era of false statements and lies being stated by public officials at the highest levels of government, trust and faith in our elected leaders and of our children's welfare and of our tax dollars should be of utmost importance. The statements by Dr. Johnson and Thomas Kluepfel are uninformed and misleading and depend on the public trusting these individuals that the statements they are making are accurate and truthful. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case. 

The enrollment in the Hoboken Public School District does not "continue to grow"-- and there is no evidence that there will be a need for additional space of buildings because of population growth in the city. The statements of growing enrollment in the district are inaccurate and without backing. In fact, here is the data for the total enrollment of the Hoboken School District for the past twelve years-- I have also included a data trend line (red dotted arrow) to show the mathematical trend line over this period.

Hoboken District Enrollment 2006-2018

The average district enrollment since the 2006-07 school year to the 2017-18 school year (latest available data from the NJDOE) shows an average total district enrollment of 1889 students and a standard deviation of about 156 students. Twelve years of data from the New Jersey Department of Education indicate that the general total enrollment of the Hoboken Public Schools has been 1889 students with a standard deviation of 156 students and the mathematical trend line has been flat to slightly downward sloping. If we look at resident enrollment, the total enrollment of the school district would be reduced by approximately 146 students because of out of town "choice" students (a program I proposed while Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Hoboken).

Thomas Kluepfel

Any claim by the Superintendent of Schools or the former Board President to indicate enrollment growth district wide is ill-informed at best.

Hoboken may need new schools. And if they do, they should make their argument for better facilities or for more modern buildings- even changing population patterns (although in a mile square city that is a difficult argument to make). But to misrepresent enrollment data to the public for a proposed redevelopment plan is, unfortunately, a sign of the times we live in. Post truth....fake news....claims that do not rely of data and good faith are a threat not only to municipal government but the foundation of democracy itself. 

As I have shown in previous posts, there is PLENTY of space in the Hoboken Public Schools.See chart below for some eye opening data.

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HOLA Dual Language School Receives Charter Renewal and Recognized as a HIGH PERFORMING School

Thank you to the New Jersey Department of Education for renewing HoLa’s charter as a high performing school in the state of NJ. I would like to thank the entire Hoboken community for their support and encouragement. Hola has shown that there can be highly accountable quality free public education for city youth at less than half the per pupil cost of legacy public schools in Hoboken. Hola is a FREE, PUBLIC K-8 school in the City of Hoboken and was founded by a group of individuals who wanted Hola to be in the Hoboken Public Schools...but the proposal was rejected by a Board majority of self proclaimed reformers. Thankfully, the vision for Hola persisted, and today Hola is one of THE crown jewels of public education not only in Hoboken, NJ but in the entire State of New Jersey and across the nation.